Probably the most out-there mountain bike shoe we’ve seen in a while, the Adidas Five Ten Trail Cross Mid Pro has been dividing opinions here at Wideopen like an absolute champ.
Key features
- Regular fit
- Lace closure
- Textile and mesh upper
- High top adventure biking shoes
- EVA midsole
- Non-marking Stealth® Phantom rubber outsole
- Product colour: Feather Grey / Core Black / Signal Coral
- £129.95
Five Ten Trail Cross Mid Pro
Proudly sporting the Adidas logo and stripes, the Adidas Five Ten Trail Cross Mid Pro is something a little different to what we’ve seen in the past from climbing-turned-biking shoe kings Five Ten.
The new Trail Cross Mid is a flat pedal, mid-top shoe that isn’t actually designed to be an all-out mountain biking, flat-pedal shoe. Rather, this one is a bit of an all-rounder with nods to bike packing, hiking, messing about in the woods and flat-pedal hooning.
Five Ten describe it as an “adventure biking shoe” and their website blurb says “To bike pack is to explore. When the ride is more about the adventure than the destination, these Adidas mountain biking shoes fits the bill. Pedal, push and hike in any terrain with the comfort, traction and support made for all-day adventure.”
The idea, Five Ten say, is to create a shoe that reflects the merging of the brand with Adidas and their outdoor division, Terrex. Hence the dual purpose and mix of branding.
The Cross Mid Pro is one of two new shoes in this new collection. If you don’t need a mid-top shoe, there’s the more-conventional Five Ten TrailCross LT alongside.
Main Features
First up, let’s have a quick walk through the main bits-and-bobs that make up the Cross Mid Pro.
The obvious place to start is the mid-top height of the Trail Cross. This is made up of a neoprene ‘cuff’ to ward off the elements and offer a little extra ankle support. Either side, there are D3o pads which are included to keep those precious bits of your ankle safe from rocks, roots and swingarms. The inside, back of the shoe also has deep, plush foam which feels really soft, squidgy and comfortable and offers lots of support.
The main ‘body’ of the shoe seems to tread a fine line between being robust but not chunky, it’s a far cry from those old loaf-of-bread Impacts we all put up with in those early days of Five Ten.
The low top version of the range is said to be built more for breathability, ventilation and quick-draining of water. The Mid Pro, however, goes a bit more in favour of keeping the elements out. There are no holes for water to drain and less mesh to let it in. Overall, it feels like a solid bit of kit… but we’ve had neither the time on the bike or wild weather to properly test that out as of yet. Cheers for that by the way, Rona.
The sole is obviously the reason you buy a Five Ten shoe. The Mid Pro has the classic ‘dot’ design that we know and love, combined with some horizontal stripes at the toe and heel. The idea is that the dots work with your pedals and the stripes offer more grip for walking and a bit more stiffness.
Five Ten also use ‘EVA’ technology, which is a way of adding extra cushioning to the sole to reduce impacts and add comfort. The Mid Pro borrows this approach from Terrex, slimming it down to keep the bulk low.
What do we think?
Like us, you’ve probably got a dedicated pair of shoes for riding and a dedicated pair for scrabbling around in the hills off the bike. And, like us, chances are you’re probably not out bike packing or hike-a-biking every other weekend.
That said, the new Trail Cross Mid does feel like it has some real benefits. It’s no doubt a well put together shoe. It’s very comfortable, offers loads of ankle support and appears to offer great protection against the elements. That classic Five Ten sole is never going to be a bad thing to have in your corner.
How much time do you spend off your bike when you ride? For us, at least, it’s a fair bit. We’re regularly pushing up a track to reach the top or to section a tricky piece of trail.
We’ll have to shove when it gets too steep, slog through a water-logged bridleway or hop over styles and gates. Occasionally, we might even have to hop off the bike and skid down a section that we reckon isn’t rideable. There’s also trail building, scouting new lines or the daily dog walk.
Sure, if you’re just lapping trail centres you might spend most of your time on the pedals. I think for most of we spend a fair bit of time with shoes on the ground.
We’re looking forward to some proper bike time in these to give you a full review. So far, so good.
We Love
- Lightweight but seem to be tough so far
- Ankle support and D30 protection
- Could be a great winter shoe, without the usual bulk
- The looks will get the keyboards tapping!
Could Do Better
- Not everyone will love those looks
- You can pay less for a pair of shoes
- The looks will get the keyboards tapping!
You can learn more about the new Adidas Five Ten Mid Pro here on the Adidas website.
